"where do you see yourself in 5 years?"

mavish

I have an interview next week for an entry-level job in an art gallery that is permanent and pensionable but I suspect has very few prospects for promotion. Im finishing a BA in fine art this year and I plan to start a masters in the next 2yrs. From there I really want to eventually end up involved in some sort of curator position.
Now the dilemma... Im pretty sure they will ask the 5 year question in the interview and I dont know if I should be honest or tell them that I would love to be still working in the position I am applying for ( because I assume they would prefer someone who intends to stay there long-term).

So Im just wondering if ye think honesty is the best policy here, especially considering that Im a terrible liar?

solidgear

yes, me thinks honesty is the best policy, however u could redirect that question back at them with regard your masters project, ask them how the position if u r accepted may provide substance for your further thesis in a few years time. that may aid in discovering whether they have an actual plan of action for developing new skills & interests to motivate there employees. If they give u a blank look, u know ur gonna get board their very quickly, Now would that make for a wise job decision? only u can judge that.

damnyanks

Any company or organisation that recruits someoneo and wants them to be in teh same position 5 years down the line is badly run and somewhere you want to avoid. I'd be very surprised if they held it against you.

Just remember, everyone has some sort of asperation be it attainable or not.

seamus

Generally for the five year question, there are two answers you don't give:
1. "In your job" for obvious reasons
2. "Still in this job" but this doesn't apply if it's a serious management position.

I would say be honest as well. At entry level positions, still being eager to continue learning only sends good messages to an employer. Who would you hire - the guy who says, "Ah, I'm sorted now. Just take this job and sit on it till I retire", or the guy who's reading books and doing a masters which is directly revelant to the industry.

ntlbell

I haven't been asked this question often, I think people who do ask it are usually people not used to the interview process and have nothing worthwhile to ask.

My response has always been to flip it right away, "where do you see the company in 5 years?"

they fumble around, get embarassed at the fact they couldn't come up with a half decent answer probably start to realise what an idiotic question it is and swiftly move on.

It really depends on the type of job you're going for and where you're in your career, I don't have much time for these type of HR bs questions, and have no problem walking out of an interview if they continue to go down this route.

what's your weakness.
how do your friends view you
do you work well in a team.

STFU!

misguided

I don't think I would take the 'walk out of the interview' approach if you really want the job:)

Be honest and say you don't know where you will be in 5 years time - none of us do. There is no right or wrong answer to this question - all they are doing is trying to get an idea of what your career aspirations are.

It is not a question I favour as part of an interview but it does have some merits. You often get people who come into an interview and want to move up the ladder as soon as they get they get in the door. Bigger organisations can cope with this sort of ambition but the type of scenario you have mentioned - mightn't be looking for someone like that.

Thats my tuppence worth!

Alun

misguided wrote:

I don't think I would take the 'walk out of the interview' approach if you really want the job:)

I think the point is that if you're interviewing for a company that has an HR department that relies on "Interview techniques for Dummies" as their sole way of evaluating a person's suitability for a job, then the writing is already on the wall, and you probably wouldn't want to work for them anyway. No point in wasting valuable time answering stupid set questions specifically designed to make you fell awkward, and maybe if enough people did just that, employers would take the hint that they're wasting their time with these supposed techniques.

In any case, does anyone really, honestly and seriously believe that the selection process is actually improved with this kind of nonsense? If the team-working and social skills of many of the people I get to work with are anything to go by, they're just as inept now as they were years ago before all this stuff started. (Yes, I am a bitter old fart )

Personally I've done my fair share of interviewing in my time, and I've always found that the best way of gauging someone's suitability for a position has been to put them at their ease, and let them talk away rather than making them feel awkward. They'll soon give themselves away if they have any 'undesirable' qualities.

The Bollox

where do you see yourself in 5 years?

doing your wife

onedmc

Marts wrote:

where do you see yourself in 5 years?

This is a really good question. Take this oppertunity to show that what you are made of.

Check out http://www.masonblake.com/Pages/frame_content/advice.html for some really good responses.

Keedowah

where do you see yourself in 5 years?

doing your wife

dont say doing your wife, dont say doing your wife!

ahhh, doing..your son?